Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Audiobook15 hours
The King's Beast: A Mystery of Colonial America
Written by Eliot Pattison
Narrated by Matthew Waterson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
A simple task to retrieve some artifacts turns into a nightmare of deceit when Duncan McCallum finds himself the target of those obsessed with keeping America under British rule in this thrilling historical novel from an Edgar Award–winning author.
When Duncan McCallum is asked by Benjamin Franklin to retrieve an astonishing cache of fossils from the Kentucky wilderness, his excitement as a naturalist blinds him to his treacherous path. But as murderers stalk him Duncan discovers that the fossils of this American incognitum are not nearly as mysterious as the political intrigue driving his mission. The Sons of Liberty insist, without explaining why, that the only way to keep the king from pursuing a bloody war with America is for Duncan to secretly deliver the fossils to Franklin in London.
His journey becomes a maze of deceit and violence as he seeks the cryptic link between the bones and the king. Every layer that Duncan peels away invites new treachery by those obsessed with crushing American dissent. With each attempt on his life, Duncan questions the meaning of the liberty he and the Sons seek. His last desperate hope for survival, and the rescue of his aged native friend Conawago―imprisoned in Bedlam―requires the help of freed slaves, an aristocratic maiden, a band of street urchins, and the gods of his tribal allies.
When Duncan McCallum is asked by Benjamin Franklin to retrieve an astonishing cache of fossils from the Kentucky wilderness, his excitement as a naturalist blinds him to his treacherous path. But as murderers stalk him Duncan discovers that the fossils of this American incognitum are not nearly as mysterious as the political intrigue driving his mission. The Sons of Liberty insist, without explaining why, that the only way to keep the king from pursuing a bloody war with America is for Duncan to secretly deliver the fossils to Franklin in London.
His journey becomes a maze of deceit and violence as he seeks the cryptic link between the bones and the king. Every layer that Duncan peels away invites new treachery by those obsessed with crushing American dissent. With each attempt on his life, Duncan questions the meaning of the liberty he and the Sons seek. His last desperate hope for survival, and the rescue of his aged native friend Conawago―imprisoned in Bedlam―requires the help of freed slaves, an aristocratic maiden, a band of street urchins, and the gods of his tribal allies.
Editor's Note
Find Franklin…
Eliot Pattison’s “Bone Rattler” series continues with Duncan McCallum on a mission requested by Benjamin Franklin himself. But on his journey to Kentucky to retrieve a treasure trove of fossils, Duncan finds himself in a precarious, dangerous position as he becomes a pawn in the game to start a war between America and Britain.
Author
Eliot Pattison
Eliot Pattison is the author of The Skull Mantra, which won the Edgar Award and was a finalist for the Gold Dagger, as well Water Touching Stone and Bone Mountain. Pattison is a world traveler and frequent visitor to China, and his numerous books and articles on international policy issues have been published around the world.
Related to The King's Beast
Titles in the series (5)
Bone Rattler: A Mystery of Colonial America Eye of the Raven Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Original Death: A Mystery of Colonial America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Blood of the Oak: A Mystery of Revolutionary America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The King's Beast: A Mystery of Colonial America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
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Reviews for The King's Beast
Rating: 4.738636363636363 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
88 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of the best series I've read/listened to in a very long time. I definitely recommend
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My dad enjoyed this book. Said it was heavy reading but good.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I love the detailed historical fiction based on such deep research.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Astounding and captivating! A slower burn than the others, I hope the series isn't done . An exceptional read !
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book, very well written and well read. It is a great look into our history of many years past. Thank you for your work.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was a very good read and quite different from the others in this series. Duncan with back to London which was a bad idea. I loved the characters and mystery of some of the female characters in this book. Mr. Franklin being apart of this book was excellent and I enjoyed all the spying going on during that time. My favorite part was done to Lord Mildred. I am hoping the old man gets his head together after returning to the American lands.